Pyke is refusing to be drawn into speculation about Lever, who is fielding offers from rivals clubs in Victoria.

The emerging defender is also weighing up a contract offer to remain in Adelaide, but Collingwood is the latest Melbourne-based club to be linked to the 21-year-old, after reports he has also met with officials from the Demons and the Bulldogs.

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Asked about an Adelaide fan base becoming increasingly edgy about retaining Lever, Pyke said: “I’m not in a position where I want to talk about it today.”

Nor would Pyke bite about any frustration at having the future of Lever and his West Australian teammate Mitch McGovern, who also falls off-contract at season’s end, being widely discussed in the media.

“I can’t control that,” he said.

“What we control is what we can produce against Port on Sunday and that is basically our focus now.

“We have got a big game this week leading into a finals series and we have got a big couple of months coming up, that is where my focus is at.”

-AAP

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